Introduction to Financial Technology

Chapter 1: What is Financial Technology

1. Financial vs. Commercial Systems
2. Financial vs. Gambling Systems
3. Financial vs. Military Systems and Physical Delivery
4. Non-Physical Communication and Delivery
5. The First Wireless Network
6. Notes and References
7. Discussion Questions

Chapter 2: Prices, Interest, Time

1. Financial Terms
2. Numbers and Prices
3. Time is Money: Loans and Interest
4. Days, Months, and Years.
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

Chapter 3: Algorithms and Financial Technology

1. Financial Algorithms
2. Spreadsheets
3. Interpreters and Compilers for Procedural Languages
4. Spreadsheet Algorithms for Interpolating Prices and Rates
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

Chapter 4: Financial Products

1. Technology of Cash Flows
2. Technology of Yields
3. Zero Credit Risk/Zero Coupon Bonds
4. Equities, Dividend Discounts, and Laplace Transforms
5. Databases for Past, Present, and Future Prices
6. Notes and References
7. Discussion Questions

Chapter 5: Identifying Financial Objects

1. Symbology: Identifying Issuers and Owners
2. Other Identifiers in Financial Databases
3. Exchange Ticker Symbols
4. Non-Exchange Traded Products and Portfolios
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

Chapter 6: Physical Aspects of Financial Networks

1. Financial Network Infrastructures
2. Origins of electronic financial communication networks
3. The Technology of Virtual Delivery
4. Market Data Technology: From Ticker to Consolidated Tape
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

Chapter 7: Orders and Messages

1. The Anatomy of Orders
2. Order Processing Technology: From Q-Codes to FIX
3. Markup Languages
4. Representing Rules
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

Chapter 8: Systems of Financial Systems

1. Describing Financial Systems
2. System Analogies
3. Characteristics of Systems of Systems
4. Notes and References
5. Discussion Questions

Chapter 9: Risk

1. Types of Risk in Financial Systems
2. Basic Properties of Probabilities
3. Portfolios and Risk
4. Risk and Hedging
5. Notes and References
6. Discussion Questions

The financial technology environment is a dynamic, high-pressured, fast-paced world in which developing fast and efficient buy-and-sell order processing systems and order executing (clearing and settling) systems is of primary importance. The orders involved come from an ever-changing network of people (traders, brokers, market makers) and technology.  To prepare people to succeed in this environment, seasoned financial technology veteran Roy Freedman presents both the technology and the finance side in this comprehensive overview of this dynamic area. He covers the broad range of topics involved in this industry--including auction theory, databases, networked computer clusters, back-office operations, derivative securities, regulation, compliance, bootstrap statistics, optimization, and risk management—in order to present an in-depth treatment of the current state-of-the-art in financial technology.

Each chapter concludes with a list of exercises; a list of references; a list of websites for further information; and case studies.

• With amazing clarity, Freedman explains both the technology side and the finance side of financial technology
• Accessible to both finance professionals needing to upgrade their technology knowledge and technology specialists needing to upgrade their finance knowledge

Primary audience: Primary textbook for students in technical schools, career education schools taking courses in Financial Technology, Clearing and Settlement of Financial Transactions, Risk Management systems. Supplemental textbook for students in courses in MIS (management of information systems) in finance; finance, financial engineering, and software engineering. Secondary audience: Professionals new to financial technology seeking a solid grounding and overview of the area.